Tuesday, November 05, 2013

Give the people what they want

The maths are not my strong suit but this not hard arithmetic. Our national economy is 70% dependent on consumer spending. You know who spends all their money in Murika? Poor people. They don't go anywhere. They don't have offshore accounts to hide their obscene corporate and casino capitalist profits. They spend their money in the local stores. You know -- small businesses. So my dear befuddled Democrats. Listen to Sherrod Brown. When GOPers say cut Social Security, you say screw that. Increase Social Security payments.

Brown argues that if Republicans push for Social Security benefits cuts as part of any deal, Dems should counter with the Harkin proposal to shift the terms of the debate in a Democratic direction. Democratic priorities, he said, should be centered on the idea that declining pensions and wages (and savings) are undermining retirement security, and added that the public strongly opposed gutting social insurance.

“The situation for seniors is only going to get worse, because the assault on pensions and wages is making it more and more difficult for a worker to save for the future,” Brown said. “Why are we having a debate over how much we are going to hurt seniors? The debate should be over how we should structure a pension for seniors that will help them. Why would we play on their playing field? Democrats need to play offense here. Force Republicans to say what it is they really want to do. Republicans just don’t like social insurance.”

All over the "Christian" Nation of Murika, we have old people standing in line at the grocery store counting out loose change at the end of the month to buy a box of biscuit mix to get them through until the next check comes in. The cost of living never goes down. So how are they supposed to live on less money? Seriously, what then? Rooting in the trash bins out back to get enough food to last a month? An extra $50 a month would make a big difference.

Call me a dreamer but I have a feeling the party that came out strong for giving the real builders of America a few extra bucks, instead of taking it away, would be popular. They might even win all the elections.